While most UA students will be sitting at home eating Thanksgiving dinner with their families Thursday evening, the UA men's basketball team will be stuck on an airplane, headed for its matchup with Florida on Friday at the MassMutual Classic in Springfield, Mass.

According to head coach Lute Olson, that didn't have to be the case.

Olson said that because of an NCAA rule that forbids teams from leaving for road games earlier than 48 hours prior to tipoff ÷ Arizona squares off with Florida at 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, meaning the team couldn't leave Tucson before 7 p.m. Wednesday ÷ his team can't get a flight out until around noon Thursday.

"The reason for that rule is, obviously, that if school were in session they don't want people leaving and missing more than two days of school," Olson said. "But we're flying all the way across the country on a holiday weekend where Thursday and Friday there are no classes."

Olson said he was less disturbed by the fact that the NCAA had the rule than he was upset about university representatives' lack of action in requesting an exception to be made.

"I understand why the rule is in effect," Olson said. "But our faculty (representative) could appeal for an exception to the rule."

Dudley Woodard, the team's faculty representative and a UA professor of higher education, said he would not comment.

The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, annual host of the MassMutual Classic game, had planned to bring the UA players on a visit to a local children's hospital and provide the team with a traditional Thanksgiving meal Thursday night, Olson said.

"There is an appeal process and we asked that it be appealed, but we were turned down by our school," Olson said. "There is no question the NCAA would have approved it. Are they going to say, ÎNo, you shouldn't visit children's hospital? No, you shouldn't have your Thanksgiving dinner?"

Olson also said the team would have to miss a scheduled practice on the court the game is being played on.

"We don't get a chance to adjust to the time zone," he said. "Florida works out on the court Thursday."

Olson added that of the 12 players on the UA squad, a total of six class hours would be missed.

"It's just a shame," said associate head coach Jim Rosborough. "I was a student. Classes were cancelled on Wednesday."

Rosborough said the players wouldn't be affected much by the schedule, but that it bothers the coaches more.

"I think the players will be fine. They're real excited about playing Florida," he said. "I understand it's an NCAA rule, but common sense would dictate we should go. It won't bother our kids, but it's upsetting to the coaches who know we should be getting out of here Wednesday."

UA junior forward Isaiah Fox said that he was disappointed that he and his teammates would be on an airplane Thanksgiving Day, instead of celebrating the holiday as a team.

"It kinda sucks that our Thanksgiving meal will be some airplane food," he said. "It sucks that some of the stuff that we could have done, like (going to) the children's hospital or the team meal, we can't do now."

Freshman point guard Mustafa Shakur said that while some members of the team might be upset, they will just have to get through it and be ready for Friday's game.

"I don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but the rest of my teammates, I know they're used to that," he said about having a traditional Thanksgiving meal. "That will probably be a little bit of a setback for them."

Shakur said that the team is ready to go, even if they can't get on the court before Friday.

"I don't think it should matter," he said. "A basketball is a basketball; a rim's a rim."